The street name, Le Ninh, needs to be restored to its original name.

(Baonghean) - In February 2012, we published an article titled "The Correct Name of Le Ninh Street Needs to Be Restored" in the Nghe An newspaper, reflecting on the fact that Le Ninh Street was misspelled as Le Ninh Street on the street sign. After the article was published, the Provincial People's Committee directed that the street sign be corrected, but the entire street, residents, and businesses still use the name Le Ninh.

Le Ninh Street is located in Le Loi Ward, Dong Vinh Ward, and Hung Dong Commune. It begins at the Vinh train station gate and ends at the Quan Banh intersection, where it intersects with Tran Hung Dao and Phan Boi Chau streets. It is 3,000 meters long and 16 meters wide. Le Ninh (1857-1887), originally from Trung Le, Duc Tho, Ha Tinh, was the first person in Nghe Tinh to lead the Can Vuong uprising in response to Emperor Ham Nghi's decree. Later, he became a general participating in the Huong Khe uprising under the command of Phan Dinh Phung.

Due to carelessness, after the street was named and the sign erected, the authorities mistakenly wrote "Lệ Ninh" as the street name. Therefore, residents living nearby have long been accustomed to this incorrect name. Since February 2012, the street sign has been corrected to "Lê Ninh," but people still refer to it by the old name, "Lệ Ninh." To this day, an entire street, restaurants, and businesses still list the street name as "Lệ Ninh." Some state-owned agencies and businesses still list the street address as "Lệ Ninh," such as the Construction Materials and Construction Enterprise of Vietnam Railways; the Nghe Tinh Railway Management Company; and the Vinh Transportation Hospital. Even a restaurant right in front of Vinh train station is named "Lệ Ninh Restaurant" (number 01). We asked several residents and taxi drivers about the person after whom the street is named, and everyone confirmed that the street is indeed "Lệ Ninh," and they didn't understand its meaning.

The use of historical figures' names to name streets is intended to honor them and to educate the public about patriotic traditions and humanistic culture. Therefore, it is regrettable that people misunderstand and incorrectly use the street name. We respectfully request that the relevant authorities of Vinh City and the People's Committees of the wards and communes through which Le Ninh Street passes take measures to rectify this rare instance of incorrect street name usage. First, it is necessary to conduct public awareness campaigns and explain the meaning of the street name to all segments of the population; request that agencies and businesses adjust the address information from Le Ninh to Le Ninh; and encourage residents and businesses to correct their street name signs and billboards to accurately reflect the street name.

Tran Quang Dai

(Nghe An Culture Magazine)